The Kansas City Council has approved rezoning of about 50 acres near the Grandview Triangle in the Hickman Mills area, clearing the way for the first new upscale residential project in that pocket of South Kansas City in a generation.
Construction is expected to begin on the first phase of the River Birch Townhomes project in late summer, with 27 fourplex buildings completed in 2020. At full buildout, development plans call for construction of 204 units in 51 two-story buildings built in two phases.
The $28 million project is being developed by James Ellis of HC Realty Development Co. and aims to attract young professionals working at Cerner Corporation’s Innovation Campus less than five miles away, as well as Honeywell's campus at I-49 and Missouri Highway 150.
“There’s a strong need for quality housing in south Kansas City, Missouri,” Ellis said. “With quality employers including Cerner and Honeywell and the proposed redevelopment of the former Bannister Federal Complex, there will be a large influx of young professionals.”
No incentives were requested for the project, which was unanimously approved by the Kansas City Council and the city’s Board of Zoning Appeals. It also has received strong support from the South Kansas City Neighborhood Alliance and the Hickman Mills School District.
The community will offer two- and three-bedroom units for lease starting at about $1,500 per month. Amenities planned for the project include a clubhouse, pool, playground and large amounts of green place.